World Cup 2026- Group Stage Match Day 2 Picks (Thursday 18th June-Tuesday 23rd June)

The World Cup began with just two games per day in the opening couple of days and there were significant gaps between the kick off times.

That has perhaps contributed to a feeling that the 2026 Finals have begun with less fanfare than usual, especially as the favourites were all going to be playing a few days after the opening fixture of the tournament.

It will be feeling much different once Match Day 2 fixtures get underway with fans now enjoying four games per day for the coming week and having a first look at some of the contenders will have some changing opinions about potential winners and dark horses.

The key for those making selections is to not overthink opening matches- teams are rarely as good or bad as they look in the first game of a tournament, but you have to expect better all around with ninety minutes under the belt and the Groups really take shape over the next six days.

In saying that, you cannot help but be impressed or disappointed by opening efforts.

Spain were one of the big disappointments, but the United States shone in the limelight and both France and England perhaps impressed amongst the favourites.

We will certainly know more about all forty-eight teams at the end of Match Day 2 and the reality is that all nations will play the middle of the three game Group Stage with every reason to believe they can still progress no matter how the opening fixtures went.

World Cup 2026- Match Day 2 Group Picks

Thursday 18th June

Czechia vs South Africa Pick: Most would say four points is almost certainly going to be enough to take a team through to the Last 32 of this 2026 World Cup Finals, but it felt like three points could be good enough as long as a negative goal difference could be avoided.

Opening defeats for both Czechia and South Africa puts these two teams in an almost 'must win' situation.

Yes, a draw would mean being alive going into the final round robin of Group A fixtures, but Czechia and South Africa will be well aware that they will be facing teams that have already won games at this tournament and so this fixture becomes most important.

Both teams conceded twice in the opening losses to South Korea and Mexico respectively, but there is little doubt that South Africa's performance was much more disappointing.

Pre-tournament concerns were that South Africa lacked something in the final third and the lack of shots and an expected goals tally lower than the likes of Curacao and Cape Verde is a massive concern considering level of opponents faced by those teams. Facing the hosts is never easy, but South Africa made things comfortable for Mexico and two players will be suspended after being sent off.

Czechia hardly impressed in the opener themselves, but they will feel this South African attack is not nearly as strong as the South Korean one, while the European nation did create a few more opportunities. Set pieces are likely going to be important again and the feeling is that Czechia will do enough to earn three points and give themselves a big chance to progress in the final game of the section.

Switzerland vs Bosnia-Herzegovina Pick: The European Qualifiers have not really impressed through the opening few days of the 2026 World Cup Finals, but some of that has to be down to the Group Stage situation and what feels like a lack of early jeopardy to progress to the Knock Out Rounds.

Two of those European Qualifiers are facing off on Match Day 2 in Group B and opening draws have increased the importance of this meeting.

You have to believe it is especially important for Switzerland who produced a wasteful display against Qatar, which was punished by conceding deep into injury time in a 1-1 draw against the weakest team in the section. The overall performance will have been encouraging, but the dropped points mean Switzerland need a big result in one of the last two Group fixtures to avoid an embarrassing early exit.

Big expectations had followed Switzerland to North America and they will round out this section against Canada, one of the co-hosts who managed to fight back to earn a 1-1 draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The latter have continued to play with some real resilience, but Bosnia-Herzegovina will feel there is still more to come.

The point against Canada does leave them in a positive position to make it out of this Group Stage, but Bosnia-Herzegovina will know that Switzerland represents a significant challenge in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Conditions should not be too bad for these two teams and the edge here is still with Switzerland who will likely be more focused when the chances come their way. There is a fear that this squad lacks goals, but Switzerland can just ease those by finding a couple of routes to goal against a Bosnia-Herzegovina team that have been tough, but who will give up some quality looks as the pressure wears on them.

Canada vs Qatar Pick: A slow start may have had something to do with the pressure of expectation, but Canada deserved their point against Bosnia-Herzegovina and looked the more likely winner by the time the final whistle was blown.

They will feel a win will be enough to take them through to the Last 32 and this fixture likely represents the best chance to do that.

Canada will need to just make a few better decisions in the final third, but they will believe they can create chances against a Qatar team that somehow managed to cling onto the edge of the cliff in the first game and then hit Switzerland with a sucker punch.

The point on the board is already better than Qatar managed in their own World Cup in 2022 and it does give them a chance to move through with one win from the final two games likely to be enough. However, Qatar are going to have to be a lot better than they were in the opening fixture and this time they are going to be dealing with an impartial crowd that will be backing the hosts and pushing them forward for a victory.

One of the questions for Canada is whether they can score enough goals, but they should have enough chances to get on top of Qatar.

In the sole previous meeting, Canada beat Qatar weeks before the 2022 World Cup began and they can match the 2-0 scoreline from that fixture and earn three priceless points on Thursday in Vancouver.

Mexico vs South Korea Pick: They are co-hosting this time, but Mexico have twice reached the World Cup Quarter Final as single hosts in 1970 and 1986 and the current squad will be looking to do the same.

Winning the Group would mean playing all of their matches before the Quarter Final in front of a passionate home support, but Mexico are going to be challenged for that position by South Korea.

Both teams began with solid victories, but South Korea arguably impressed the most and there are plenty of fans travelling to support the team here. They are also playing in Guadalajara for a second time, while Mexico will be travelling from the Capital, and that familiarity with the conditions will make South Korea dangerous.

However, the majority of the support inside the Stadium will be with Mexico and they were pretty comfortable winners in the opening match and have continued a fine run of form.

Opening up a World Cup tournament can be difficult and Mexico were playing an opponent they would have expected to beat, but that result should have settled them down.

As well as South Korea played in the opening match, they came into this tournament under a bit of a cloud and it is Mexico who may just do enough to edge to the three points and almost certainly wrap up top spot in the section.

Friday 19th June

United States vs Australia Pick: All eyes are going to be on the fitness of Christian Pulisic after the United States opened the tournament with a crushing win over Paraguay.

Captain America is a huge influence on the squad, but the opening three points should mean Mauricio Pochettino can lean on the side of caution, even if winning the Group remains the ambition.

Players can step in for the USA in this fixture against Australia, who produced one of the upsets of the opening round robin of fixtures when beating Turkiye 2-0. Credit has to be given to Australia, but it is also a fact that Turkiye were wasteful in the final third and sloppy defensively and that allowed the underdog to spring the upset.

It is much less likely that the United States are as generous and this is a team that is capable of getting a real run going in the home World Cup Finals if they can top the section. Another win should be enough when you consider the results from the opening two matches in the Group and the United States have shown there is a real attacking intent in this squad, which could produce at least another two goals for the co-hosts on their way to another winning effort.

Scotland vs Morocco Pick: The last time Scotland played at the World Cup, they faced Brazil and Morocco in the Group Stage at the 1998 tournament played in France.

A win over Morocco in the final Group game may have been enough for Scotland to finally Qualify for the Knock Out Stages of any major international tournament, but the 0-3 defeat to Morocco coupled with Norway's win over Brazil meant both Scotland and the Moroccans were eliminated.

Third place could be good enough for a team to progress to the Last 32 in 2026 and Scotland's win over Haiti has given them a real shot.

However, they are going to have to be a lot better if they are going to earn another positive result, which should be enough the Qualify for the next Round, or Scotland will have to avoid heavy defeats in either of the remaining Group fixtures to have a chance.

A 1-0 win over Haiti is thus disappointing and now Scotland face Morocco who impressed in the 1-1 draw with Brazil and who were the first African nation to reach the Semi Final at the World Cup Finals in Qatar just shy of four years ago.

Both Brazil and Morocco looked content with a point in the final twenty minutes of the opener, but this is a different kind of test for the latter and they will feel they have the qualities needed to beat Scotland in a World Cup Finals again.

Better composure in the final third will be important, but Morocco should take real encouragement from the situations Haiti created for themselves. This Morocco team are unlikely to be as generous in the final third as the CONCACAF Qualifiers and an experienced group of players may do enough to help the team to three points and then have a real ambition to top this Group in the final round of fixtures within the section.

Brazil vs Haiti Pick: The squad looked a little functional, rather than one filled with flair, but even then, Brazil fans would have expected so much more from the team in the opening Group match at the 2026 World Cup.

A draw with Morocco is not going to be a result that ends with Brazil failing to make it through to the Knock Out Stages of the tournament, but Carlo Ancelotti will know that his team have to be a lot better in the games ahead if Brazil are going to have the kind of run that this nation always expects to have.

There is some quality at both ends of the field, but the midfield is a question mark.

However, that is unlikely to be an issue exploited by Haiti, even if the latter gave as good as they got against Scotland and were ultimately a little unfortunate to lose the game. The loss does mean a positive result is likely going to be needed if Haiti have any ambitions of making it out of the Group, but historical results against Brazil suggest it will be a test for the 2026 squad to avoid a heavy defeat.

It is unlikely to go the way Curacao's fixture against Germany played out, but Brazil should have enough quality to overwhelm Haiti and they will have ambitions of topping this Group and so goal difference could be important. Brazil have the players in the final third to secure a relatively comfortable win when all is said and done and they can find a way to cover the Asian Handicap line set for this second Group match, as long as they show a composed touch in the attacking areas.

Turkiye vs Paraguay Pick: Some of the underdogs at the World Cup Finals have struggled, which is not a big surprise, but the likes of Turkiye and Paraguay arrived with decent reputations and will be very disappointed with the opening efforts.

Heavy defeats to Australia and the United States respectively have given both Turkiye and Paraguay a lot of work to do if they are going to progress to the Last 32.

Turkiye have yet to play one of the co-hosts, which perhaps adds to the pressure on their shoulders, but they will also feel they were the better team against Australia. A similar effort should be good enough to at least pick up a win here and especially if Paraguay cannot improve markedly on their own opening efforts.

Losing to the United States is one thing, but the manner of the defeat will have really dented the Paraguay confidence and another defeat would likely spell the end of their time in the tournament after conceding four goals to the co-hosts.

The vulnerabilities shown by Paraguay can be exploited by Turkiye, who have to be more composed in the final third after the showing against Australia.

There is pressure on the shoulders of both, but perhaps a bit more on Turkiye with a tougher fixture to complete the Group Stage- that could mean Paraguay are the more comfortable if this game is still level with time ticking down, but it would be a risky approach and ultimately the feeling is that Turkiye can make amends for their lacklustre display last week.

Saturday 20th June

Netherlands vs Sweden Pick: They led twice, but Netherlands had to settle for a point against Japan, but they will be pretty comfortable with the point with two games left in this Group.

Yes, there is some pressure on the team to make sure they pick up a win in this section, but Tunisia are in disarray and Netherlands will certainly feel they are the strongest European team in this Group.

All credit has to be given to Sweden for the fact they have come through two pressurised Play Off games in March, while the 5-1 win over Tunisia puts them in a very strong position to reach the Last 32, Another point will almost guarantee Sweden a place in the next Round, but the goal difference secured in the opening victory means they could likely go through with narrow defeats in the remaining two fixtures.

No one will be thinking about that, but Sweden will also be aware that the Netherlands are unlikely to be as generous defensively as Tunisia were in the opening fixture, while this team were well short of the elite of European Football over the last twelve months. The performances in the Play Offs are encouraging, but Netherlands will feel they can contain the Swedish attacking pair and that will give them the edge in this contest.

Ronald Koeman's team were not the most convincing going forward against Japan, despite scoring twice, and Netherlands will need to improve if they are going to have a deep run.

Some of that improvement could show up in this fixture and Netherlands can secure a win in a fixture in which they score twice again.

Germany vs Ivory Coast Pick: Both teams earned victories to open this Group Stage and you have to think Germany and Ivory Coast already have one foot in the Last 32.

The Group E Winner will have a more comfortable fixture in the Last 32 with one of the third place teams next up, and you have to think that will be the target for both of these teams after the opening wins.

Germany have the edge with the goal difference, but they also conclude the Group with the tougher fixture and so there may be more onus on the European team to come forward and win this game.

Julian Nagelsmann will just be glad that his Germany team have not suffered the big disappointments of the 2018 and 2022 squads that failed to make it out of the Group Stage, but there are big expectations on his shoulders. The manager will want to see his German team show a bit more resiliency defensively against an Ivory Coast attack that has pace and real quality in the wide areas as they showed in the late winner over Ecuador.

Ivory Coast have also been pretty well organised defensively and it could be a fixture that sees both teams looking to make sure there are not the spaces to exploit on the counter.

Scoring seven in a World Cup game will definitely make some headlines, but this is a considerably tougher test for Germany and Ivory Coast have shown they can make life very difficult for opponents they will face.

The layers are expecting goals, but this may be a fixture that ends up being one where neither team will want to give too much away and just retain the current positions ahead of the final round robin of Group matches. The first goal may spark the fixture, but things could start off with the defences on top and backing fewer than three goals to be shared out looks a big price, even as the goals have begun to rack up at the 2026 Finals.

Ecuador vs Curacao Pick: It would be a big upset if Ecuador slip up against Curacao having come through the South American Qualifying campaign only behind Argentina.

Only the biggest hitters may even consider Ecuador to win this game at the very short prices, but this may not be as comfortable as it was for Germany when they faced Curacao in the opening Group fixtures.

Yes, Ecuador should win, but this is a team that scored just fourteen goals in 18 Qualifiers, while they were lacking real composure in the final third when losing to Ivory Coast. The resistance of Curacao is unlikely to be as strong as that produced by Ivory Coast, but you also have to think the underdog will be more settled after the opening thumping and they can show why they Qualified for the 2026 tournament.

While it is unlikely Curacao can contain Ecuador completely, they can certainly make things a little more difficult for the favourite than the layers may think and a narrow win for the South American nation would not be a big surprise.

Tunisia vs Japan Pick: In the historical meetings, Japan have tended to get the better of Tunisia and they are set as the favourites to beat an opponent who have to be feeling really sorry for themselves.

Self-inflicted mistakes saw Tunisia crushed 5-1 by Sweden and that led to Sabri Lamouchi being Sacked as manager with two Group matches still to play.

While the performance in the African Cup of Nations was disappointing and Tunisia had struggled in friendlies leading up to this tournament in the United States, there was still a sense of expectation that they could finally reach the Knock Out Rounds of a World Cup Finals. The extra places to the best third place finishers would have felt like an opportunity, but Tunisia's loss to Sweden leaves them in a precarious spot ahead of this fixture.

Japan fought back twice for a point against Netherlands, but they will be looking for a bit more composure in the final third and certainly more creativity.

Injuries to the likes of Kaoru Mitoma before the tournament began have hampered Japan, but they showed enough against Netherlands to believe they can create the opportunities needed against a much weaker opponent than the one already faced.

As much as Japan do miss the quality of Mitoma and a couple of others, they are usually pretty compact defensively and they largely restricted Netherlands in the opening match.

A similar approach will be expected from Japan in this one as they look for three key points in their bid to reach the Knock Out Stages yet again and backing the favourite to win with a clean sheet against a Tunisia team looking to salvage something from the tournament is the play.

Sunday 21st June

Spain vs Saudi Arabia Pick: It is hard to explain what may happen to Spain once they hear they are playing in the World Cup Finals, but this is a nation that have had a surprisingly poor time of things since winning it all in 2010 in South Africa.

Failing to beat Cape Verde may be one of the lowest points, but Spain will be grateful that Saudi Arabia held Uruguay in the other game in the Group and that means topping this section is still very much in the hands of the European Champions.

Spain will have to be much more clinical in the final third, but they created enough chances and they will also have seen the amount of chances that Uruguay created against Saudi Arabia.

Having a few more days for Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal to get up to full speed is important and Spain need those players to just give the team a more unpredictable look. Spreading the pitch will really help after Spain were a little bogged down against Cape Verde, while these two players are also more reliable when it comes to showing the composure that will be needed in the final third.

There is pressure on Spain and Saudi Arabia will be looking to make life very difficult for them.

However, there may also be one eye on the final game in the Group where a win for Saudi Arabia would almost certainly see them through to the Knock Out Rounds for the first time since the 1994 World Cup Finals in the United States. If they fall behind early, key players could be rested and that could allow Spain to overwhelm the underdog and especially considering Spain are going to be a team coming out with something to prove.

Belgium vs Iran Pick: By the end of the opening fixture, Belgium felt like the more likely winners rather than Egypt, but a point apiece was probably a fair reflection of the overall game.

There is all to play for in this Group after both opening fixtures ended in draws, but Belgium are right to be favoured against an Iran team that have voiced their frustration with the amount of travel they are having to get through after being banned from staying in the United States. They feel that contributed to the 2-2 draw with New Zealand, which leaves Iran in a tough spot, and they are going to be lodging a complaint to FIFA about the situation.

The players have shown their own frustration, but Iran can still work their way out of this Group by upsetting either Belgium or Egypt and that has to be the focus.

Friendly results had been decent enough, but Iran are going to have to be better in the final third at both ends of the pitch and especially if Belgium can begin this game much like they finished the opening match.

The 'golden generation' have missed their opportunity to win a major tournament, but Belgium should still be good enough in this Group- they do need to pick up the level defensively, but the attacking players should have the qualities to help Belgium create plenty of threat against this Iran defence and the issue of getting in and out of the United States is clearly affecting preparation.

It is no surprise when you think of the time getting through customs and the limited time to get across to Los Angeles in the window provided, while conditions in this Stadium should be perfect for Belgium to take a big step into the Last 32 of the tournament.

Uruguay vs Cape Verde Pick: No matter how this tournament ends, Cape Verde's squad have written their names into the history books and will always be remembered by those back home after the goalless draw with Spain in the opening fixture.

That result has given Cape Verde an opportunity to keep this Cinderella story going and moving it into the Knock Out Rounds, but the next two games will be about showing more bite.

The Blue Sharks had one or two moments getting out on the counter against Spain, but the focus was on the defensive side of the field and an influential performance from 40 year old goalkeeper Vozinha saw Cape Verde pick up a vital point.

Progress may be decided in the final Group fixture against Saudi Arabia, but in this one you have to expect Cape Verde to approach things in a similar manner as they did against Spain.

Uruguay were also held to a surprising draw when facing Saudi Arabia, but they dominated the second half and Marcelo Bielsa has something for his team to build upon.

A deep run in the tournament would be a surprise, but Uruguay can pick up from where they left off against Saudi Arabia and you have to believe they will be able to find a goal or two, even if Spain were unable to do the same.

Defensively they will have to expect more of a threat from Cape Verde, but Uruguay largely contained Saudi Arabia and they can win this one with a clean sheet.

New Zealand vs Egypt Pick: Considering some of the successful performances of some of the African Qualifiers at the World Cup Finals down the years, it is a real surprise that one of the most dominant nations on the continent have never made it into the Knock Out Rounds on this stage.

Egypt's draw with Belgium puts them in a very good position to finally break that barrier, but they will have to manage the pressure with a real sense of expectation around the team.

Performing at the same kind of level that was produced against Belgium should be good enough to get the better of New Zealand who have already achieved more than expected when earning a 2-2 draw with Iran.

It is a result that will give the squad confidence and there are one or two talented attackers that can make the difference, but New Zealand were perhaps fortunate to limit Iran to two goals and Egypt will feel they have the difference makers in the final third.

Nothing will come easy as Egypt have to overcome history as well as this opponent, but this is a team that will create chances and they should be able to match Iran's number of goals, although this in a winning effort to put four points on the board and almost guaranteed a spot in the Last 32.

Monday 22nd June

Argentina vs Austria Pick: Lionel Messi wrote another piece of history by scoring his first World Cup hat-trick and, at the same time, becoming the oldest players to do that on this stage.

An influential performance helped Argentina make a strong start to the defence of the World Cup won in Qatar, although everyone will know that bigger tests are coming up for this team.

That is unlikely to manifest in this Group and Argentina are expected to have a bit too much quality at both ends of the field for an Austria team that made harder work than expected of Jordan in the opening fixture.

Winning is all that matters, but Austria will need to be better when coming up against the stronger nations in the tournament and this could be something they learn again when facing Argentina on Monday.

Ralf Rangnick will not want his team to show they are intimidated and will urge Austria to get on the front foot, but that could leave them vulnerable and Argentina should be able to score twice in another winning effort that effectively wraps up top spot in this Group.

France vs Iraq Pick: A slow first half was replaced by a fluid second half and France made one of the big early statements of their intent at the World Cup by beating Senegal 3-1.

Topping this Group will mean France being guaranteed to be on the opposite side of the Knock Out Bracket to both Argentina and England (as long as those two nations win their own Groups), but it could come down to the final fixture against Norway.

Didier Deschamps has a huge amount of tournament experience so his focus will be on this fixture with Iraq and the French fans will be hoping for a much more convincing opening half. Playing in the heat of Philadelphia will make things difficult, but France will have noted how vulnerable Iraq looked in their opening defeat to Norway and it should be a routine win for the favourites.

Iraq did give Norway a slight scare when equalising, but they conceded again before half time and they were well beaten in the end.

With the quality France have in the attacking third, this should be another fixture in which Iraq are just overwhelmed by the talent in the opposite squad and the French can cover this Asian Handicap line.

Norway vs Senegal Pick: It might not show up in the underlying numbers, but Senegal really did not play that badly against France in the first half and had chances to take what would have been a deserved lead.

Failing to do that saw them punished and Senegal are under a bit of pressure to respond.

They cannot really afford another defeat, which would leave them scrambling for one of the best third place spots, but overcommitting would also leave Senegal vulnerable to Norway on the counter attack.

Erling Haaland made his debut in a major international tournament and continued to do what he does with two goals scored, but Norway faced a poor Iraq team and bigger tests begin on Monday against one of the top nations playing out of Africa.

Overreacting to one fixture can sometimes cloud the judgement, but the pricing for this fixture looks out of sync- Senegal played a much tougher opponent in the opening game, but they played their part, while Norway had been pegged back by Iraq before finally taking control. Inexperience of playing major international tournaments is also a factor and Senegal are very capable of avoiding a defeat.

A 1-1 draw would not be a big surprise as it would leave both teams in a position to Qualify for the Last 32 in the last round robin of fixtures, but both have enough attacking qualities to hurt the other and this could be an entertaining fixture.

Backing both teams to score makes more sense than any of the over/under markets simply because there could be a moment when the teams settle for a point apiece. If it is 1-1 with twenty minutes left after the last hydration break, a point each may not look out of place and so backing both teams to showcase attacking qualities earlier in the fixture is perhaps a more appealing play than expecting them to push all the way for the full ninety minutes.

Jordan vs Algeria Pick: It felt like Vladimir Petkovic gave away too much respect to Argentina in Algeria's opening Group fixture and the team were not able to turn things back around in that game.

It has left them in a tough spot with a minus three goal difference and with a defeat on the board, but Algeria are better than what they showed against the World Champions.

This time the key attackers are unlikely to be left on the bench until it is too late, and that should make Algeria all the more dangerous as they prepare to face Jordan in what feels like a 'loser go home' kind of fixture.

Algeria have more quality and they are much more experienced at a higher level than Jordan, but the latter have to be given credit for the heart they showed in the 3-1 loss to Austria.

Tired legs led to late mistakes and Jordan are learning at this level, while they will feel that three points are very important in the bid to reach the Last 32. That will mean avoiding big mistakes at the back, but Jordan have conceded far too many goals over the last few months in the step up to a higher level of competition in preparing for the World Cup Finals.

They may feel Algeria represent an opponent much closer to the kind they are used to playing, but Jordan will have to defend so much better to contain the threats that the African Qualifiers have amongst the starting eleven and coming off the bench.

The likelihood is that Algeria will want to put the Argentina game behind them by making a statement in this second Group fixture and they can score at least twice in a winning effort.

Tuesday 23rd June

Portugal vs Uzbekistan Pick: It feels like a favourite imploding at the World Cup Finals has been a familiar tale down the years and there has to be some concern about Portugal in the 2026 tournament.

There is plenty to like about this team, but Cristiano Ronaldo is posing a real problem for the manager and there are plenty of fans, and perhaps even team mates, who may believe Portugal are better off without on of the all-time greats.

At 41 years old, Ronaldo is not the same player he once was and the last couple of tournaments have already felt like a step too far for the attacker, which makes his appearance here in the United States that much more frustrating.

Portugal need to win this game and try and quieten the noise that has built around them and they will be confident when facing the weakest looking team in the Group.

Uzbekistan gave Colombia a bit of a scare, but they were clearly second best and in a warm up match they were under the cosh when losing to the Netherlands.

A defeat would only spell elimination if DR Congo beat Colombia, but Uzbekistan may struggle to contain Portugal with the assumption being that the latter have not completely fallen out with one another within the squad.

England vs Ghana Pick: The 4-2 win over Croatia has lifted the excitement levels back home, but Thomas Tuchel is likely going to make sure England are much more controlled in this second game in the Group.

Another victory will likely see England top the section, but Tuchel will want his defensive players to show that they are better than what was witnessed in the opening win.

Some sloppiness has to be erased, but England should be more comfortable in concluding this Group against Ghana and Panama.

Carlos Queiroz is an experienced manager and he will likely take the approach to contain England, even if his Ghana team have some quality players in the attacking third. Those struggled to impose themselves against Panama in the opening match, but a late goal has put Ghana in a decent position to progress into the Last 32 and avoiding a big defeat may be the plan.

The manager will look to frustrate England, but there is plenty of threat in Thomas Tuchel's team and the expectation is that England will find a way to win this one and add a clean sheet to really get the excitement building for the fans who have waited sixty years for a major tournament victory.

Panama vs Croatia Pick: Did the Croatia squad age overnight or was it just a bad day in the office? The answer feels like a bit of both in the opening defeat to England and the period where Croatia were amongst the elite of international football looks to be over.

They were hammered in the second half last Wednesday and Croatia are going to have to dust themselves off if they are going to avoid another Group Stage exit in a major international tournament having had that happen at Euro 2024.

It would be easy to have a huge reaction the opening defeat, but Croatia are still more than capable of getting out of this Group and that begins by getting the better of Panama.

Just when it looked like Panama would at least earn their maiden World Cup point, Ghana stunned the CONCACAF Qualifiers and it leaves Panama in a desperate spot- another defeat would mean elimination unless England have been beaten by Ghana earlier in the day, which is unlikely.

That means Panama have to dig in and find a positive result, but this is a team that has lacking experience at this level and the ruthlessness in the final third.

There will likely be moments of threat, but Croatia have to believe they can contain much of what is thrown at them, while this is a team that have enough in the final third to break down Panama.

Croatia can showcase the experience they have and that means looking to be much more secure at the back and another win to nil in this Group for one of the European nations looks the way to approach this one at a surprising price.

Colombia vs DR Congo Pick: After conceding so early, it could have been easy for DR Congo's team to panic, especially as they were playing one of the favourites to win the World Cup in the opening fixture in this Group.

Instead, DR Congo made things very difficult for Portugal and they equalised at the end of the first half and were more than deserving of the point picked up.

This gives DR Congo a real chance to progress to the Last 32, but a similar approach can be expected to this fixture as they look to make life difficult for what people would consider to be a 'superior' team.

Colombia managed to put together a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan in the opening fixture, but there is a feeling there is still more to come from this team and winning this Group looks like it could open up an 'easier' path in the Knock Out Bracket. They are in command of the Group after the opening games, but Colombia will be looking to keep the pressure on Portugal ahead of what still looks like being the decider when those two teams meet in the final round robin of fixtures.

DR Congo will have something to say about that, but the feeling is that Colombia will offer a much sterner examination of the backline all around.

The underdog will offer a threat on the counter, but Colombia look very capable of scoring twice with the attackers on the field and that could be enough to secure the three points.

MY PICKS: Czechia @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Switzerland to Win & Over 1 Total Goals @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Canada - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.90 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Mexico @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

United States & Over 1 Total Goals @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Morocco @ 1.80 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Brazil - 2.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.88 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Turkiye @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Netherlands to Win & Over 1 Total Goals @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Germany-Ivory Coast Under 2.5 Goals @ 2.20 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Ecuador to Win & Under 4 Goals @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Japan Win to Nil @ 2.37 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Spain - 2.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Belgium - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Uruguay Win to Nil @ 2.10 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Egypt to Win & Over 1 Total Goals @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Argentina to Win & Over 1 Total Goals @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

France - 2.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Norway-Senegal Both Teams to Score @ 1.75 William Hill (1 Unit)

Algeria to Win & Over 1 Total Goals @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Portugal - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.63 Bet365 (1 Unit)

England Win to Nil @ 1.80 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Croatia Win to Nil @ 2.45 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Colombia to Win & Over 1 Total Goal @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Group Stage MD 2: 16-8, + 7.44 Units (24 Units Staked, + 31% Yield)

Group Stage MD 1: 12-12, - 0.30 Units (24 Units Staked, - 1.25% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2022 (June 23rd)

It was a mixed day which looked like it was going to be a really bad one for a long time as those inches I've talked about were all going against me.

A late rally prevented it being a really poor day, but I am looking for better results to take into the final three days of the events being played this week and then to carry that forward into Wimbledon.

I have a right to be a touch irritated with the way a couple of the losing Picks came about- Tallon Griekspoor won, but I could never have imagined him losing a set 6-0, while Dan Evans had a chance to get back on serve in the second set at 5-4, 0-40, and that would have been enough for the two setter to cover the total games line set.

All of the Quarter Final matches are scheduled to be played on Thursday, but there are wetter conditions around in Eastbourne and Mallorca and it may mean delays or matches having to be moved to the outside courts to make sure the tournament is down to the final four in both the ATP and WTA event being played there by the time the day's play is completed.

Alex De Minaur - 2.5 games v Tommy Paul: For most players the focus will have turned to Wimbledon and making sure they are ready to compete at the third Grand Slam of the season, but that is a tournament without Ranking points. There will be a number of players that will be disappointed to have heard the news, but it also means that some are out there this week looking to make sure they produce some healthy results in order to avoid a massive drop in the Rankings.

Motivation for Alex De Minaur shouldn't be a problem having won the title here in Eastbourne last year and knowing that he suffered a First Round exit at Wimbledon. That defeat may mean he is not as keen to have to dig deep over the next couple of days, but the fact he is looking after some big Ranking points should help keep the Australian focused.

With days remaining until Wimbledon begins, you have to factor in the motivational angles and I do think the defending Champion will want to pick up another title here. Alex De Minaur has played well in his two wins in the tournament and is clearly enjoying the conditions, although it will feel different on Thursday with the rain cooling the temperature down, while De Minaur may not be exactly sure where he will be playing this match.

That shouldn't affect the mindset as Alex De Minaur takes on Tommy Paul for the third time in 2022 having won the previous two matches in straight sets. This is the third surface on which Paul and De Minaur will be competing, but the latter has long suggested grass is his favourite of the surfaces on which the Tour is played and I am not sure the same can be said for Tommy Paul.

The American had not played any grass court tennis since 2019, but he did reach the Quarter Final in London last week and has backed that up with another couple of wins in Eastbourne. However, Tommy Paul has not been the most convincing of performer and has perhaps benefited from the small margins edging his way at key times during matches to earn the victories.

Tommy Paul has held 85% of his service games played on the grass this season, but he is only winning 63% of the points played behind that shot. Those are decent enough numbers, although the main problem for Tommy Paul is his limited return game on the grass and I do think Alex De Minaur can largely keep him under pressure with his own serve.

Alex De Minaur has won 66% of his points played behind serve, but he has only held 81% of his service games and that is largely down to a really poor effort on the break points. He has faced nineteen break points in his four grass court matches, but De Minaur has been broken ten times and you do have to feel he has to get better on those pressure points against someone like Tommy Paul who has broken in 16% of return games.

There is no doubt that Alex De Minaur has been the more efficient return player and that has also shown up in their head to head matches this season with the Australian holding 81% of service games compared with Tommy Paul's 69% mark and I think that will also be the case in this Quarter Final.

It can be tough to really be confident in Alex De Minaur, but he does tend to beat the players expected and I think he will have too much for Tommy Paul who has ridden his luck at times to put together the wins he has this past month.

MY PICKS: Alex De Minaur - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Cameron Norrie-Maxime Cressy Over 23.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Benjamin Bonzi - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Daniil Medvedev - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Petra Kvitova - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Jelena Ostapenko - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Beatriz Haddad Maia - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Caroline Garcia - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Bianca Andreescu @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Angelique Kerber - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Simona Halep - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jack Draper - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 21-19, - 0.54 Units (78 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)

Midweek Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (June 23-25)

So how is everyone enjoying the return of the Premier League?

There is no doubt that things are not the same as we remember, and it did take a few matches to really build the interest but I do think most will be used to the 'new normal'.

Most importantly I do believe the players will be feeling more accustomed to playing in front of empty stands having done it once, or in some cases twice, although I do think the teams at the bottom of the table are suffering as I expected before the resumption. Without that push from the crowd, it is much harder for those clubs to bridge the talent gap to the sides they are facing and the limp manner in which Norwich City, Bournemouth and West Ham United were beaten at home this past weekend is worrying.

Aston Villa took a single point from two home games, but at least made a much greater effort than those three sides mentioned and I do believe the three relegated clubs will come from the four mentioned.

Things are still tight when it comes to the relegation battle and the race for the top four and European places so the whole outlook could change very quickly. With the fixtures staggered as they are, I do think the pressure will build on clubs in a different manner as you would expect if the schedule had played out as planned before the pandemic took over.

With another GW just a day after the previous one ended, it is another round of FPL that kicks off on Tuesday. The problem all players of the Official Fantasy game will be dealing with is the deadline comes at a time when not all the team news can be put together and that means second guessing things.

I will elaborate further on my plans below the thoughts for how this round of League fixtures will go.

Leicester City v Brighton Pick: Both Leicester City and Brighton are coming off of positive results and will be looking to build the momentum to take into the remaining Premier League games to be played.

For Leicester City it will also push them forward when it comes to a potential FA Cup success as they chase down one of the four Champions League places in the table. The late goal conceded to Watford would have hurt, but Leicester City will be happy with a positive result and the chance to maintain their lead over 5th placed Manchester United with one less game to be completed.

Playing at home should be a little more comfortable for Leicester City even if the early trend around the top European Leagues is that some of the advantage has been eroded without a crowd. I still believe that may affect the lesser talented squads more than the top teams though so I do expect Leicester City to have too much for Brighton on Tuesday in the first game of the latest round of fixtures.

That is no disrespect to a Brighton team coming off a big win over Arsenal and one that has proved to be stubborn to break down away from home in their most 'recent' games. Of course you can't really discuss that 3 game unbeaten run on their travels as form considering the last fixture was played three months ago, but Brighton have shown they can make life difficult so it will be up to the Leicester City players to find the motivation from within rather than from the stands.

The Foxes have won 3 of their last 5 games here in all competitions and during that time they have hit both West Ham United and Aston Villa for four goals. Brighton have shown themselves to be a slightly better defensive side than both of those, but the goalless draw at Wolves was only the third away clean sheet of the season.

Bournemouth and West Ham United both scored at least three goals against Brighton and Sheffield United created enough to believe they deserved more than the single strike in the previous 3 away games The Seagulls played before the draw at Wolves.

Brighton have lost twice in a row here and I think Leicester City will be able to create enough chances to win a game which features at least two goals.

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United Pick: This is a big game at the top and bottom of the Premier League as Tottenham Hotspur look to ignite a push for a European place and West Ham United try and move clear of the bottom three.

Neither team were at their best this past weekend in home games against Manchester United and Wolves respectively, but I do think the teams will be better for having a game in the legs.

At least Tottenham Hotspur earned a point to remain in touch with 5th placed Manchester United, but Jose Mourinho will know they need more from their remaining eight games to have a chance of getting into the Champions League. More realistic is playing in the Europa League and Spurs will know the importance of that from a financial perspective as they look to repay the debt which came from building this new Stadium.

Chances were not created easily against Manchester United, but Dele Alli is back and West Ham United don't defend nearly as well as Tottenham Hotspur's last opponents. Teams have been able to create plenty against this West Ham United defence and Tottenham Hotspur should be able to do the same.

However it is a rivalry game and West Ham United have had success when visiting Tottenham Hotspur in recent times. They have won 2 in a row in games hosted by Spurs including winning in this Stadium last season and David Moyes will be looking for a big reaction from his team.

The Hammers did look a little toothless in attack against Wolves though and I think Tottenham Hotspur might have more control of the match. The empty Stadium might help the visitors, but Tottenham Hotspur might be able to edge them out narrowly with their greater attacking threats that can be employed.

I feel Tottenham Hotspur will need to score twice to win though considering their own defence has been far from trustworthy and I do think they have enough to do that as they put the pressure on teams above them that play later this week.

Manchester United v Sheffield United Pick: With very little between teams from Chelsea down to Tottenham Hotspur, this was an early fixture which looked like it could be very important for both Manchester United and Sheffield United's dreams of getting into the Champions League.

That is how it looked at the resumption of the Premier League, but Sheffield United have taken a point from a possible six and Manchester United also could only add a point from their opening returning fixture. It means both clubs have slipped behind Chelsea who won at Aston Villa on Sunday and means both Manchester United and Sheffield United need a big result here.

A heatwave hitting the United Kingdom is not going to be helpful for the players despite the 6pm kick off time and it does suggest goals could be in short supply. Temperatures could feel as high as 31 degrees Celsius when this fixture kicks off and that means mistakes could prove pivotal on the day.

With the attacking players short of football, it may also give the chance for defences to be largely on top and especially when you think of the two teams involved in this one at Old Trafford.

However the key difference may be that Manchester United look to have a touch more options in the midfield and attack that could provide a moment of magic to turn things in their favour. Add to that the fact that Sheffield United could be missing as many as three of their regular defensive unit and the chances of mistakes being in the away side more than the home one seem to ramp up.

Chris Wilder will always make his team hard to beat and I won't read too much into the 3-0 loss at Newcastle United as the game was finely balanced before John Egan was sent off to reduce Sheffield United to ten men. Even then I do think the defensive record is perhaps better than it should be with chances that Sheffield United have allowed and Manchester United should punish a more unfamiliar line up that Wilder will have to use.

It won't be easy because Sheffield United are a disciplined team that won't roll over for any team they face. They have not been at their best in the first couple of games and Manchester United have had plenty of time to prepare and I fancy the home side win this one with a clean sheet.

Newcastle United v Aston Villa Pick: Hot weather has to be expected at this time of the year in England, but the heatwave due during the week will only make it harder for players who have had limited match fitness from the first few days of the restart of Premier League Football.

It might mean a slow game develops in the North East where Newcastle United host Aston Villa in what is looking to be a much bigger game for the visitors than the hosts.

That is not to say that Steve Bruce would be happy to lose the momentum picked up in the win over Sheffield United on Sunday. The manager was very pleased with the performance and Newcastle United have a big week in front of them as they host two more matches here, while Bruce himself will be looking to show any prospective new owner that he is the right manager to take Newcastle United forward.

Winning games and finishing in the top half of the Premier League will only add to Bruce's argument and he will be looking to keep the unbeaten run going at St James' Park. Newcastle United have been well organised as they have produced 5 clean sheets in a row at St James' Park and now host an out of form Aston Villa side who have to have had some confidence knocked in the early days of the restart of the Premier League.

A single point and a single goal from two home games is not good enough for Aston Villa who are fighting to get out of the bottom three. They haven't played badly, but Aston Villa continue to struggle to score enough goals or keep enough clean sheets and that is a big worry for any team looking to avoid the drop.

Aston Villa did not score in their last couple of away games which were played three months ago, but the bigger concern for Dean Smith has to be the lack of chances created in those defeats. They have looked better this past week, but breaking down Newcastle United will be far from easy and I think goals may be difficult to find.

The layers are perhaps not seeing things the same way as I expected the 'under 2.5 goals' market to be much shorter than it is. Both teams were involved in high-scoring games on Sunday, but Newcastle United only broke down a ten man opponent, while Aston Villa faced a strong attacking unit of Chelsea.

Neither team will believe they have the same circumstances going into this game and I think we will see two or fewer goals shared out. Before the win over Sheffield United, Newcastle United had seen their previous 4 games finish with one or fewer goals scored, while Aston Villa have seen 3 of their last 5 away from home go the same way.

The last 8 between Newcastle United and Aston Villa have ended with two or fewer goals shared out, while the last 5 between them at St James' Park have ended that way too.

With the heat around and the lack of strong attacks in this one, I think that has to be the most likely outcome of this fixture. I narrowly favour Newcastle United, but will look for a lack of goals no matter the result.

Norwich City v Everton Pick: Both Norwich City and Everton will still feel there are big things to aim for at the end of the 2019/20 season, but you can't help feel this is more important for the home team.

Norwich City were hammered 0-3 by Southampton on Friday and they looked like a team that didn't really believe nine games were enough to avoid relegation to the Championship. Now there are eight left and it is hard to see how Norwich City will be able to pick up enough points if they don't produce a much better effort in their home Stadium.

Defensively they were messy and some rustiness was evident in their attacking play when chances did pop up. Having a game in the legs might sharpen up Norwich City, but this is a team who might have to rely on out-scoring opponents with the defensive injuries they are dealing with through the remainder of the season.

Those injuries will make them vulnerable to an Everton team who will believe they have missed two big opportunities to beat Liverpool this season. The goalless draw on Sunday might have seen Liverpool dominate the ball and the action area, but Everton created the best chances and better finishing would have resulted in a big three points.

Carlo Ancelotti is still convinced a European place is within the grasp of Everton with a strong end to the season and three points here will be important if they can earn them here. Everton have not played well away from home in terms of results, but performances under the Italian have been improved and a bit more luck would have led to better results.

They have created chances, although Everton still look shaky defensively, and I think they will be confident. Having two days fewer to prepare might be an issue for Everton though and it makes me think they are a short enough price to win here which makes it unappealing.

I do wonder if the heat will have a negative impact on the goals markets in the coming days in England, but this is one game where both teams should take risks in order to earn the three points. Neither defence is the most convincing and both Norwich City and Everton do have attacking players that can create chances and score goals.

Before the loss to Southampton, Norwich City were involved in some low-scoring home games, but the defensive injuries balances that out. It was evident in the chances that Southampton created against them, while 9 of the last 11 Everton away games have finished with three or more goals shared out.

I can see both teams hitting the net, but the three points are important enough for both to believe spaces are going to be exploited in the final twenty minutes. That means I will be looking for three or more goals to be shared out between Norwich City and Everton on Wednesday.

Wolves v Bournemouth Pick: Both of these teams were involved in 0-2 scorelines on Saturday, but unfortunately for Bournemouth they were hosting the game against Crystal Palace. On the other hand Wolves were comfortable winners at West Ham United in a game that was lacking some quality until Adama Traore and Pedro Neto were brought on in the second half and sparked Wolves to a successful visit to East London.

They had been in fine form going into the suspension of European Football and Nuno Espirito Santo has to be pleased with the way his Wolves team played in controlling the game on Saturday. This is a team that can find things a little difficult in the final third despite all the aesthetically pleasing football they do tend to play and that is underlined by two goalless draws in their last 4 here.

Wolves are not easy to break down, but they want to be more if they want to be playing in the Champions League next season and this game with Bournemouth does present a big chance for them. Win and they will be 2 points behind Chelsea in 4th and knowing the West London club are hosting Manchester City on Thursday, but any dropped points on Wednesday could be fatal in their bid to earn a Champions League spot through their Premier League finish.

I do think Wolves create chances and in Raul Jimenez they have a striker who scores goals at this level, but I also think Bournemouth will be better than they were on Saturday.

Two early goals knocked the stuffing out of The Cherries and they didn't create an awful lot, but David Brooks was in good nick despite the long lay off. He should be ready to help Bournemouth out here and they will cause problems for Wolves if the home side are slightly off their game, although Eddie Howe's men are hard to trust at the back.

6 straight away Premier League losses can't be easily ignored and I do think the Portuguese players that Wolves have throughout their squad won't be worried about the potential heat the teams will be playing in. Bournemouth concede too many goals and it is hard to see that changing even with the squad bolstered in the three month lay off and so the feeling is that Wolves will win a game that features at least two goals.

In only one win at home this season have Wolves failed to score at least twice while 13 of the last 14 home wins secured in the Premier League have also seen Wolves score at least twice. That includes all 5 played this season and Bournemouth have conceded twice in 5 of their last 6 away Premier League games.

Last season this fixture ended 2-0 and I think that may be the most likely outcome of this one too.

Liverpool v Crystal Palace Pick: There is little doubt that Liverpool will eventually win the Premier League title, but the next eight games might be all about rebuilding fitness ahead of the 2020/21 campaign. There might be a very short pre-season between campaigns so this may be used as such by Jurgen Klopp whose side are perhaps days away from winning the title.

If Manchester City have dropped points on Monday, Liverpool can be confirmed Champions with a win over Crystal Palace, but Roy Hodgson's men have shown they are not one that will roll over for any opponent.

There were suggestions that the motivation may not be very high for a team in a safe position in the Premier League, but Crystal Palace deservedly beat Bournemouth at the weekend and may still have some European ambitions to fulfil.

It is still a long-shot to imagine that happening, but Crystal Palace will look to be organised and disciplined in what could be very hot conditions at Anfield on Wednesday evening.

Liverpool didn't look their sharpest in the goalless draw with Everton on Sunday and perhaps were fortunate to escape with a point, but they desperately missed the influence of Andrew Robertson and Mohamed Salah. Both could return on Wednesday and that should give Liverpool a bit more spark in the final third which was really lacking in the Merseyside derby.

Defensively they have largely been sound and this Crystal Palace team don't offer a major threat. Roy Hodgson's men will look to play on the counter, but in hot conditions in the second game back from the three month break, it may not be easy to keep that going when spending a lot of time chasing shadows around the pitch.

It is hard to think Liverpool will be pushing to blow out a Crystal Palace team that have been a stubborn opponent for them and the best selection here may be looking for the home team to win with a clean sheet. Crystal Palace have been difficult to break down, but they are not creating a host of chances and a narrow home win would not be a big surprise.

Burnley v Watford Pick: It was never going to be easy to take on Manchester City with a squad that had been stretched by injuries and those who are about to be out of contract and have yet to agree terms on a new deal. With that in mind it is perhaps not surprising that Burnley suffered the latest of their heavy defeats at the Etihad Stadium, although the players will also admit they were affected by issues beyond their control.

For some ridiculous, boneheaded, moronic reason some Burnley fans decided to pool together to have a plane fly a 'White Lives Matter' banner over the Etihad Stadium at kick off. There is the suggestion they were hoping the players would be disgusted enough to refuse to play during what has been the support given to the 'Black Lives Matter' movement that has spread through the United States and Europe.

Instead the Burnley players have admitted that the banner does not represent them and had also seen them lose some focus on the fixture ahead. It is not an excuse, but it was part of the problem for Burnley who were 3-0 down at half time and who only named seven substitutes instead of nine (and two were goalkeepers).

There isn't much time to prepare for this fixture against Watford who will have had more than 48 hours longer to prepare for the game.

With the motivation high as Watford continue to battle to avoid the drop, Nigel Pearson has to believe his side can take advantage of any tired legs in the Burnley dressing room. His team were the better of the two when facing Leicester City on Saturday and Watford arguably deserved more points than they got, although this is a team that have not been as strong on their travels as they have at Vicarage Road.

The empty stands might help Watford here and hinder Burnley and there seems to be a lot of factors in the favour of the relegation threatened club.

Watford won here last season to snap a 10 game run without a victory at Turf Moor, and the squad looks to be in a better shape. It is perhaps a surprise to see Watford as such a strong favourite here considering the away form, but the time they have had to prepare for this fixture compared with Burnley should give the visitors to make it consecutive wins at this ground.

Southampton v Arsenal Pick: Both clubs are coming off contrasting first weeks during the Premier League resumption after Arsenal lost both League games played and Southampton were big winners at Norwich City.

The fact that some think home advantage is lost with no fans in the Stadium might actually suit Southampton who have been better on their travels than at St Mary's during this season. It is something that they will be hoping for anyway as they get set to take on an Arsenal team who need some momentum before a big FA Cup Quarter Final coming up.

Mikel Arteta has been far from impressed in the manner of both defeats Arsenal have suffered this past week- losing to Manchester City because of defensive errors is still an issue, but conceding in injury time against a relegation threatened Brighton to lose a game Arsenal had led in is almost unforgivable.

There is still hope a strong end to the season will see Arsenal earn a spot back in the Europa League, but they have to be better at both ends of the pitch.

I do think they would create chances against this Southampton team in normal circumstances, but I am a touch concerned Arsenal will use a weaker team knowing how important the upcoming Cup tie is for them. Even then they have some talented youngsters that can expose the defensive shortcomings of this Southampton team and I do think The Gunners will pose problems for the hosts.

However Arsenal have looked messy at the back to say the least and Southampton have shown they can create chances against any opponent. The home team are not under pressure and so are likely to push forward and look to create chances and in players like Danny Ings and Nathan Redmond they have pace and quality in the final third.

I can understand why the layers have made Southampton favourites with some of the uncertainty about the Arsenal team selection which is going to be something to keep an eye on. However The Saints can offer some gifts at the back too and I think this may be another game between these two which features at least three goals shared out.

An early strike may be needed to just open things up in what are likely to be very hot conditions, but if that happens I can see both teams playing with some freedom. That should see them share out three goals on the day as has happened in 3 of the last 4 between these clubs.

Chelsea v Manchester City Pick: Some teams have struggled in the first round of games during 'Project Restart' but both Chelsea and Manchester City have managed to overcome slow starts to really build a groove.

Manchester City have hit eight goals in two games, but they are playing away from home for the first time since losing the Manchester derby back in March. Now they have to face a Chelsea team who came from behind to beat Aston Villa and are looking to keep their top four rivals at bay by picking up what would be an unexpected result.

Games between Chelsea and Manchester City have been a mixed bag in recent seasons, but the last couple of seasons have seen Manchester City win 5 of the last 7 in all competitions.

However when they have visited Stamford Bridge the games have been very competitive and the last 4 have seen both clubs win twice. It was Chelsea who got the better of Manchester City last season and they will have seen the chances that the visitors have allowed in recent away games.

On the other side Manchester City continue to create plenty, but the absence of Sergio Aguero is a blow. Gabriel Jesus isn't a bad replacement, but he is not as clinical as his South American team-mate and Pep Guardiola will need the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne to pick up the slack.

Both clubs have a FA Cup Quarter Final on deck which does cloud things- will the managers rotate their squads and will they perhaps prioritise the Cup game?

Frank Lampard is less likely to do that with Chelsea being chased for the Champions League spots and The Blues do look a big price to win at home. The younger squad might actually benefit from playing in front of an empty Stamford Bridge having been beaten 5 times here in the Premier League and being crushed by Bayern Munich 0-3 in the Champions League Second Round.

Chelsea should be able to create chances, but defensively they have also looked vulnerable and I would not be surprised another 2-1 scoreline between these clubs as we did at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season. My slight lean is towards Chelsea finding a result, but their defence is not trustworthy while Valencia, Liverpool, Manchester United (twice), Bayern Munich have all won here.

Manchester City are arguably the best of the lot to visit, but my selection for the game is the expectation of seeing at least three goals shared out. I expect both teams will score in this one, and neither manager looks like one that would settle for a draw unless the equaliser comes very late on.

Instead I expect both Chelsea and Manchester City to look to be positive and search out the win so expecting to see three or more goals shared out is my most confident selection.

MY PICKS: Leicester City & Over 1.5 Goals

Tottenham Hotspur & Over 1.5 Goals

Manchester United Win to Nil

Newcastle United-Aston Villa Under 2.5 Goals

Norwich City-Everton Over 2.5 Goals

Wolves & Over 1.5 Goals

Liverpool Win to Nil

Watford 0 Asian Handicap

Southampton-Arsenal Over 2.5 Goals

Chelsea-Manchester City Over 2.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GW31+

The majority of FPL players looked to be playing their Bench Boost or Free Hit in GW30+ as the game returned, but I had my Triple Captain chip and using it on Kevin De Bruyne has turned out to be a reasonably good decision.

By far the worst call I made in GW30+ was including David Luiz in my team who not only was involved in conceding three goals at Manchester City, but managed to get himself sent off for a lovely - 3 total from two games!

Thankfully the majority of the other decisions paid off as expected and a return of 99 points with a Wild Card, Free Hit and Bench Boost all still to play is good enough for me.

So what is my plan? After careful thought I have decided I will use my Wild Card this week in creating a team that will be strong in both GW31+ and GW33+... With that in mind I would be using the Bench Boost Chip in GW33+ when some of the biggest clubs have good looking fixtures.

I honestly don't see a better way to do this and I then have the option of using my Free Hit either in GW32+ or another one. The team I am selecting looks like it has enough options to cover GW32+ too with some confidence and I am fairly happy with my decisions, while also thinking it may be a good idea to keep a hold of the Free Hit depending on whether any unexpected DGWs pop up.

It is unlikely though so the main plan is to still use the FH in GW32+ although that is something I will be thinking about in the next couple of days with the deadline for that GameWeek set for Saturday morning.

With a Wild Card in play you can imagine that there will be a number of changes right up until the deadline, but you can follow my Twitter page where I will list the final team moments after the deadline for GW31+ has passed.

What I will say is that the teams I am really focusing on to help me build my squad are Burnley, Chelsea, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves.

Obviously you have to bring in some players of 'lower' value to give the squad balance and that is where Brighton are a potential option knowing they play at Norwich City on GW33+ and the same goes for the hosts Norwich City with a 'winnable' game that weekend.

Everton are another team who have some decent stats to back their players, but who do face Tottenham Hotspur away from home in the weekend where I want to employ the Bench Boost.

Things will be chopped and changed as I have said, but my first interest was to build big from the back and not go huge with the strikers. Balancing the squad knowing the rotations the managers are using is not easy, but it is the way I want to use the Wild Card in a bid to maximise all of my remaining Chips as I look for a strong finish despite not being to use the Chips in the way I envisioned back in March.

Good luck to all players in the latest GameWeek and I will have more thoughts about GW32+ once I have concluded my Wild Card.